The heart is the epicenter of feeling in the body. Love is the emotional expression from individuals to people/things/places/thoughts that hold special significance. It reflects endearment. As humans grow, so does the attachment to “terms of endearment.” Love can be expressed as a possessive or open feeling learned since birth.

The heart, centrally located in the chest, is highly responsive to the membranes/organs that stimulate blood/oxygen circulation throughout the body as well as the lungs which are highly vulnerable to defacement from environment such as smoke, airborne particles or pollution which can result in physical impartments. The mental/emotional impairments are vulnerable to the ups and downs of life’s constantly changing conditions such as emotional situations that affect breathing/mental cognition and result in perceived or unperceived mental/physical/emotional stress that affect the flow of blood through “the healing breath.”

A habitual yoga practice that stimulates deep breathing twisting, moving, lengthening the body, relieves mental/physical/emotional tension like an incoming and outflowing tide. Thus, when poses such as bridge or backbends are practiced with a rhythmic and dynamic respiratory flow, tissues/muscles are lengthened and freeing the “life breath.” Exhalations expand the lungs to release toxins. Yoga poses such as bridge pose, position the chest in a high lift with deep slow breathing to release the storage of toxic chemicals.

Today’s, emphasis is on freeing the flow of fresh oxygenated flood throughout the body by bending/lengthening. You can begin a Bridge Pose from any position such as a yoga squat kneeling with legs moving apart and body lowering slowly to lie flat on the back. Or, you can begin Bridge Pose, lying flat on an open mat with chin to the chest. The pose is initiated by separating the legs with bent knees over the heels. As you plant the knees, pull the arms with clasped hands underneath the hips and lift the upper body with arms folded. To expand the chest, lift the upper body as you deeply inhale and round the chin to rest on the chest as you lift up the core as high as you can. In this position, deeply inhale/exhale with long breaths through the nose.

When the mind is free of tension as much as possible, the body begins to relax. Mental energy spun into a tight ball unravels. This posture is wonderful to initiate before retiring. It is good to find a quiet room, lower the lights with a scent of fragrance from incense or an aroma oil. Close the eyes and begin to let go into Shivasana, (“Corpse Pose” lying outstretched on the mat with legs and arms extended by the sides with eyes gently closed). When the mind is empty of all thoughts, expand the chest as you breathe deeply and exhale fully. Stay in this position for as long as you can, then slowly initiate Bridge Pose. You will notice that the pose becomes easier as the body lets go.